That Wacky Redhead

[Pyro]

I really don't think that Desilu would be interested in Japanese productions. I remind you that the BBC approached Desilu, not the other way round. Also, Americans weren't nearly as warm to Japan in the mid-20th-century, for obvious reasons. Japanese commerce and industry only gradually chipped away at this resolve; cars came first, because they spoke directly to the pocketbook; video games followed because the American industry had imploded, leaving them with no competition; and then, finally, anime (and later manga) only broke through after the Japanese economy began to decline. I'm not enough of an expert to say whether or not there's a direct connection there, but that's one heck of an interesting coincidence if it isn't. Prior to that, Japanese media that broke through (Speed Racer, Akira) was considered kiddie or super-niche.

Also, Japan is (both literally and figuratively) rather insular, so they're less likely to be affected by the changes ITTL. Not to mention that, however tightly integrated Japanese media may be with the Anglosphere at present, it is still produced and presented in a foreign language, and is therefore technically outside the scope of this timeline. But you're far from the first person to ask after it - obviously there's some demand for a divergent evolution of anime. That would be a fine subject for a timeline of its own.

If I may interject here, what if some form of the tokusatsu genre (i.e. Ultraman, Kamen Rider, Super Sentai) makes its way across the Pacific. Maybe not so much as a direct dubbing of Japanese series, but what if an American producer saw a couple episodes of one of, let's say, Kamen Rider and decided to pitch a show with a similar premise? (Albeit American-produced.) Would be interesting to see a parallel development.

Come to think of it, that makes me wonder if the Spider-Man tokusatsu saw the light of day in Japan TTL.

 

[Thande]

I think people are back-projecting Nipponophilia here. I can remember when Japan was wholly alien and exotic and I was born in the 80s, never mind what it was like in the 60s and 70s. (In fact, this is part of what annoys me about modern western otaku-ism, they act like liking anime and manga was always part of being a nerd; it's like if you woke up one morning to find that all the members of some political or religious group you're part of are wearing pirate hats and they act as though they've always done that. Which sounds like the plot of a very bad episode of The Twilight Zone).

Anyway the point is I agree with Brainbin, I doubt American TV producers would be interested in Japanese stuff yet. I think the gateway here was the kung fu craze of the 70s that opened people in the west up a bit more to eastern culture rather than just seeing it as the products of either Scary Red China or Vicious Japanese Imperialists. Which is one reason why I mentioned above whether that craze had also taken place in TTL.

 

[unclepatrick]

I think people are back-projecting Nipponophilia here. I can remember when Japan was wholly alien and exotic and I was born in the 80s, never mind what it was like in the 60s and 70s. (In fact, this is part of what annoys me about modern western otaku-ism, they act like liking anime and manga was always part of being a nerd; it's like if you woke up one morning to find that all the members of some political or religious group you're part of are wearing pirate hats and they act as though they've always done that. Which sounds like the plot of a very bad episode of The Twilight Zone).

Anyway the point is I agree with Brainbin, I doubt American TV producers would be interested in Japanese stuff yet. I think the gateway here was the kung fu craze of the 70s that opened people in the west up a bit more to eastern culture rather than just seeing it as the products of either Scary Red China or Vicious Japanese Imperialists. Which is one reason why I mentioned above whether that craze had also taken place in TTL.

I live in Japan from 1969 till 1972. My father was in the Army and was a assigned to a base in Japan. When the Family return to the US in 1973, there was some Japanese show on but they were all Kid show. Ultraman, Speed Racer, Marine Boy and Kimba the White Lion. It was not till the 1980 that Japanese anime was something that adult look at. Star Blazer, and Robotech were the show that broke the Child stigma of Japanese animation.

 

[phx1138]

He was serving as navigator (with the rank of Lieutenant) aboard the USS Farragut, when his Captain (Garrovick) was killed.

Yeah. Memory is spotty sometimes. Also, I didn't mean to suggest he went right to Captain, but as I understood it, he was still pretty green to have even made L/Cdr then (unless he just went from jaygee to full Lt...)

One more hint, then: it was a trilogy of films.

And, again, memory fails...

Face front, true believer!

'nuff said. You're talking to a longtime Marvel Zombie (tho the first book I ever read was an ish of Flash, & really liked Red Tornado {who I recall as an android} at one time). Took til Marv & George's TNT appeared for me to even look at DC again (& without George's pencils, I doubt I would've)...& then I found Scout & Sable & EQ... (And still deeply, deeply regret not buying every copy of Grendel I could get, when my local couldn't give them away...)

That may well be it. In fact, I actually found Quinto to be one of the least impressive, and surely it was because Nimoy was stealing his thunder.

I think, for me, it was the contrast with his Sylar that did it: the intensity was still there, but the wildness had been tamed.

If I had to rank all seven of them, it would be probably be in the order Urban (superlative), Yelchin (excellent), Pegg (funny and boisterous), Pine (charming and cocksure, if punkish), Saldana (overly sassy and standoffish), Cho (dull as dirt), Quinto (overshadowed by awesome). How they behave in the coming film should prove significant.

Agree in the main, tho I liked Saldana a lot (she had the same brass & warmth) & Yelchin not at all. Again, tho, how much of that is us measuring them against the originals & finding them lacking?

You know what, that honestly would not surprise me in the least.

Not one bit.

I really don't think that Desilu would be interested in Japanese productions. ...then, finally, anime (and later manga) only broke through after the Japanese economy began to decline.

Not expert in manga by any means, but I had the sense there was a niche market for it even before Akira hit big or was even proposed as a film project. So as early as, say, 1980, & maybe earlier. IDK if it'd be enough to encourage a film project.

That would be a fine subject for a timeline of its own.

There's also evidently interest in it, since I've seen anime/manga questions raised on several other threads. (Not a fan, but...)

 

[Andrew T]

I think people are back-projecting Nipponophilia here. I can remember when Japan was wholly alien and exotic and I was born in the 80s, never mind what it was like in the 60s and 70s. (In fact, this is part of what annoys me about modern western otaku-ism, they act like liking anime and manga was always part of being a nerd; it's like if you woke up one morning to find that all the members of some political or religious group you're part of are wearing pirate hats and they act as though they've always done that. Which sounds like the plot of a very bad episode of The Twilight Zone).

By the mid-80s, I can only recall four mainstream U.S. adaptations of Japanese animated shows: Speed Racer -- which was very cheaply dubbed and adapted for the U.S. market, but that wasn't particularly remarkable during the Animation Age Ghetto; characters' voices rarely synched and scripts rarely made sense for any Hanna-Barbera cartoon, so it didn't seem particuarly strange (at least to me, as a child). Later, we got Voltron in much the same way; the dubbing and different style of animation was much more jarring as I was a bit older.

Then we had two anime adaptations that were painstakingly converted for U.S. audiences: Star Blazers (from Space Battleship Yamato) and the breakout hit, Robotech (from three separate anime programs that were very cleverly edited together). My impression is that the studios went out of their way to "de-Japanese" these programs. When I saw the original Macross in college, I found it much less enjoyable than watching Robotech in middle school.

 

[drakensis]

Anyway the point is I agree with Brainbin, I doubt American TV producers would be interested in Japanese stuff yet. I think the gateway here was the kung fu craze of the 70s that opened people in the west up a bit more to eastern culture rather than just seeing it as the products of either Scary Red China or Vicious Japanese Imperialists. Which is one reason why I mentioned above whether that craze had also taken place in TTL.

Sounds about right. Which raises the question of how Kung Fu did in ITTL.

Sorry if that's been asked already.

 

[Brainbin]

Everybody head on down to the polls, because the 1976 Election is underway! Results should be made available in the next few days. But until then...

He also explained the family rule on Voting. If you don't vote, than you have no right to complain about Politic when the politicians do something stupid.

Age permitting, that is a brilliant rule for discussing politics.

I agree, that is a superb rule - one that my own family uses as well (I don't like to talk about politics in public, as you may have noticed by now, so my family is about the only group of people I do discuss them with). I personally like to make sure that everybody votes. Even in the elections where we don't like any of the candidates. You can always spoil your ballot, but at least you've cast one! (Which reminds me: did you all know that, IOTL, the UK technically no longer uses the secret ballot?)

Maybe not so much as a direct dubbing of Japanese series, but what if an American producer saw a couple episodes of one of, let's say, Kamen Rider and decided to pitch a show with a similar premise? (Albeit American-produced.) Would be interesting to see a parallel development.

This is more likely, though given the era, we're still probably looking at something more along the lines of the American version of the original Godzilla, featuring Raymond Burr, then (and now) known as Perry Mason, in the role of "Steve Martin". (Chronologically speaking, we're about equidistant from that and the anime boom of the mid-1990s IOTL).

Speaking of Perry Mason, this does give me the opportunity to share one of my all-time favourite TV themes (one of these days I need to make a list), since the show aired (and ended) prior to the POD. Just take a listen. Note that it was scored by Fred Steiner, who (IOTL and ITTL) was the most frequent composer for Star Trek.

Come to think of it, that makes me wonder if the Spider-Man tokusatsu saw the light of day in Japan TTL.

Excellent question, and I do believe I will address that, if only for comparative purposes

I think people are back-projecting Nipponophilia here. I can remember when Japan was wholly alien and exotic and I was born in the 80s, never mind what it was like in the 60s and 70s. (In fact, this is part of what annoys me about modern western otaku-ism, they act like liking anime and manga was always part of being a nerd; it's like if you woke up one morning to find that all the members of some political or religious group you're part of are wearing pirate hats and they act as though they've always done that. Which sounds like the plot of a very bad episode of The Twilight Zone).

As always, Thande, you put it so much better than I ever could. I know it seems alien, but anime (which was, of course, called "Japanimation" in this era, and that will hold true for any coverage in this timeline) was not a big deal in this era - far from it. Animation in general was still done by American studios (on the super-cheap, hence the "limited animation" model pioneered by Hanna-Barbera and perfected by Filmation), and perhaps it was their move overseas (starting, on a large scale, in the 1980s), that may have first brought Japanese studios, such as Tokyo Movie Shinsha and Studio Ghibli, to the attention of American producers.

Anyway the point is I agree with Brainbin, I doubt American TV producers would be interested in Japanese stuff yet. I think the gateway here was the kung fu craze of the 70s that opened people in the west up a bit more to eastern culture rather than just seeing it as the products of either Scary Red China or Vicious Japanese Imperialists. Which is one reason why I mentioned above whether that craze had also taken place in TTL.

We'll get there - you don't think I would keep Bruce Lee alive for nothing, do you?

Yeah. Memory is spotty sometimes. Also, I didn't mean to suggest he went right to Captain, but as I understood it, he was still pretty green to have even made L/Cdr then (unless he just went from jaygee to full Lt...)

Well, Kirk made Captain young (at age 32), so we can infer rapid promotions beforehand as well. He obviously kept busy in his early Starfleet career, since he had time to teach at the Academy on top of active duty (as that's where he met Gary Mitchell, and almost certainly Carol Marcus too - maybe even Bones, for that matter).

And, again, memory fails...

The trilogy takes place long time ago in a galaxy far, far away...

I think, for me, it was the contrast with his Sylar that did it: the intensity was still there, but the wildness had been tamed.

I never watched Heroes, so I couldn't form an opinion about his "range". Maybe that allowed me to have a more objective impression of how well he fits the role.

Agree in the main, tho I liked Saldana a lot (she had the same brass & warmth) & Yelchin not at all. Again, tho, how much of that is us measuring them against the originals & finding them lacking?

This is the problem. We really need the chance to see them in their prime, as opposed to establishing their characters.

There's also evidently interest in it, since I've seen anime/manga questions raised on several other threads.

If anybody needed an idea for a pop cultural POD, I think that's a great place for them to start!

Then we had two anime adaptations that were painstakingly converted for U.S. audiences: Star Blazers (from Space Battleship Yamato) and the breakout hit, Robotech (from three separate anime programs that were very cleverly edited together). My impression is that the studios went out of their way to "de-Japanese" these programs. When I saw the original Macross in college, I found it much less enjoyable than watching Robotech in middle school.

This trend continued well into the 1990s. One of the big breakout anime series of that decade, Sailor Moon, was heavily edited.

Sounds about right. Which raises the question of how Kung Fu did in ITTL.

Welcome aboard, drakensis! Kung-Fu does not exist ITTL, as Bruce Lee was able to take his ideas for a martial-arts western to Desilu, who produce the show with him starring (under the title The Way of the Warrior). It started in 1972, and is still running as of the coming 1976-77 season.

 

[phx1138]

IOTL, the UK technically no longer uses the secret ballot?

one of my all-time favourite TV themes

Mine, too. Tho I do like the TVM remix (by Dom Frontiere?) better.

Let me encourage you to start your list. My Top 10:

1. "New Mike Hammer" ("Harlem Nocturne" by Earle Hagen)
2. "5-O" (the original long theme)
3. "Wiseguy" (the "Dead Dog" arc remix)
4. "Peter Gunn"
5. "SWAT"
6. "Hill Street"
7. "Rockford Files"
8. "Law & Order" (the only part of the show I like)
9. "Perry Mason" remix
10. "Ironside"
11. (Honorable Mention) "M*A*S*H" (because of the movie song, mostly)
12. (Honorable Mention) "Spenser, For Hire" (mostly 'cause I can't recall it, but recall liking it)

We'll get there - you don't think I would keep Bruce Lee alive for nothing, do you?

Glad to hear it.

on top of active duty

That wouldn't have been "on top of" as much as a duty posting, if USN practice is any guide. Same way the FWS is: a shore stint in between sea assignments, so to speak. Really no way to know, but the writers seem to've adopted the USN method.

The trilogy takes place long time ago in a galaxy far, far away...

"Trilogy" led me to suspect that... That wouldn't be my definition of "intellectual geek". That'd be Robin's role in "Dead Poets" or maybe Connery in "Finding Forrester".

Maybe that allowed me to have a more objective impression of how well he fits the role.

Could be.

This is the problem. We really need the chance to see them in their prime, as opposed to establishing their characters.

Agreed. The sequel should do that.

The Way of the Warrior...started in 1972, and is still running as of the coming 1976-77 season.

I think you've saved Iron Fist, too. (Tho you've probably butterflied him beating up the X-men. )

I wonder if this impacts the production of the likes of "Lone Wolf McQuade".

 

[drakensis]

Welcome aboard, drakensis! Kung-Fu does not exist ITTL, as Bruce Lee was able to take his ideas for a martial-arts western to Desilu, who produce the show with him starring (under the title The Way of the Warrior). It started in 1972, and is still running as of the coming 1976-77 season.

Ah, I see. Thanks.

 

[Andrew T]

Everybody head on down to the polls, because the 1976 Election is underway! Results should be made available in the next few days. But until then...

I can't wait. I assume VP Ed Muskie will get the Democratic nod, particularly given that the whole crying-in-New-Hampshire thing was a product of the Nixon plumbers' squad, which doesn't exist ITTL. Muskie won't really have any weaknesses to shore up with either his base or the general electorate, so I imagine that he'll pick the brightest up-and-coming star in the Democratic Party as his VP nominee.

Brainbin has already said that Chappaquiddick wasn't butterflied away, so that almost certainly rules out Ted Kennedy. Other prominent Dems in the mid-70s IOTL are also, IMO, not a factor here: George McGovern (never rose to prominence), Gene McCarthy (remembered as a quaint anti-war candidate which isn't a factor in TTL's 1976), Jimmy Carter (no need for a squeaky-clean southern centrist ITTL), and Mo Udall (whose 1976 rise to prominence as the liberal alternative to Carter doesn't happen because there's no carter and there's no shortage of liberal candidates with stronger resumes than Mo).

So that leaves... Jerry Brown and Frank Church as the mainstream liberal candidates for Muskie's VP.

It's hard to imagine anyone other than Ronald Reagan winning the Republican nomination; he's a phenomenal campaigner and the base will be clamoring for a conservative after Rockefeller's defeat in '72. Despite that loss, I would imagine that Reagan will be pressured to take a moderate running mate for balance. George Romney probably has the strongest resume at this point, having served as Governor and (ITTL) Senator from Michigan, although I'd think Maine Sen. Margaret Chase Smith would have a real shot as well.

I'm curious as to whether the AIP will continue on as a significant 3rd party; I don't think we got an update in '74 as to how those 11 AIP/ADP Congressmen fared. I would imagine that those voters will defect to Reagan almost entirely.

So my projection is a decisive-but-not-landslide victory for Reagan/Romney over Muskie/Brown in '72, with the AIP winning zero electoral votes. Of course, 1976-1982 was the epicenter of a deep recession IOTL that, while no doubt affected by the changes to TTL, will probably still be at least a serious downturn. That means Reagan* could wind up as TTL's Jimmy Carter, and the Republicans could be lost in the wilderness for decades....

 

[vultan]

snip

A few quick points of clarification, Andrew.

I mostly agree with your analysis of the Democrat field, but you forget that ITTL Jerry Brown loses in the 1974 gubernatorial election (even IOTL he only won by a razor-thin margin). So, needless to say, he won't be in a position to challenge Muskie for the Democrat nomination or to join him on the ticket.

And at first I actually thought Romney would be a good running mate for Reagan, should he win the nomination... and then I found out he'd be something like 69 at the time of the election, which, together with 65 year old Reagan, would make it a very old ticket.

And yes, the AIP will continue to survive as an important regional third party for the foreseeable future (the result of a GOP without a real, intentional Southern Strategy and a Democrat Party committed to a leftward turn). In the 1974 midterms here, they won two Senate seats and a handful of House seats. We'll have to see if they have the capacity to survive in the long-term, however.

BTW, did you miss the update on the 1974 midterms? Here it is.

 

[Richter10]

Also, Japan is (both literally and figuratively) rather insular, so they're less likely to be affected by the changes ITTL. Not to mention that, however tightly integrated Japanese media may be with the Anglosphere at present, it is still produced and presented in a foreign language, and is therefore technically outside the scope of this timeline. But you're far from the first person to ask after it - obviously there's some demand for a divergent evolution of anime. That would be a fine subject for a timeline of its own.

Through true, some cultural crossing did happen:

-> When Tetsuwan Atom was broadcast in US in 1963 as Astroboy, NBC decided to put lyrics in the opening theme to be more catching. Tezuka *liked* this change, adding lyrics for the japanese version - that in turn would start the use of opening and ending songs

-> The Magical Girlfriend genre of anime/manga ("Oh My Goddess" is the most famous example), that in turn would generate the Magical Girl Warrior genre (the classic "Sailor Moon") was inspired by american tv series Bewitched.

 

[e of pi]

Through true, some cultural crossing did happen:

-> When Tetsuwan Atom was broadcast in US in 1963 as Astroboy, NBC decided to put lyrics in the opening theme to be more catching. Tezuka *liked* this change, adding lyrics for the japanese version - that in turn would start the use of opening and ending songs

-> The Magical Girlfriend genre of anime/manga ("Oh My Goddess" is the most famous example), that in turn would generate the Magical Girl Warrior genre (the classic "Sailor Moon") was inspired by american tv series Bewitched.

It's interesting analysis, but I don't think Brainbin's planning to run there much, focusing more on Western and specifically US media and culture. I remember how much of a pain it was to expand from covering just the US program to international programs in Eyes, and that's honestly a lot less complex than cultural stuff. It sounds like you have a good handle on it, maybe you should work up a timeline of your own? It might make an interesting read.

 

[Andrew T]

A few quick points of clarification, Andrew.

I mostly agree with your analysis of the Democrat field, but you forget that ITTL Jerry Brown loses in the 1974 gubernatorial election (even IOTL he only won by a razor-thin margin). So, needless to say, he won't be in a position to challenge Muskie for the Democrat nomination or to join him on the ticket.

Not sure how I forgot that, but you're obviously right. I'd say that makes the Muskie/Church ticket an overwhelming favorite versus the field. Maybe Jackson runs during the primaries to Muskie's right, and maybe Muskie has a more idiosyncratic choice in mind, but that seems pretty solid to me.

And at first I actually thought Romney would be a good running mate for Reagan, should he win the nomination... and then I found out he'd be something like 69 at the time of the election, which, together with 65 year old Reagan, would make it a very old ticket.

True, although in '76, Reagan won't quite have the same old vibe as he does four years later. Margaret Chase Smith will be 79 (!), which almost certainly rules her out. William Scranton will be a relatively robust 59. Gerry Ford is 63. Bob Dole is 53.

And yes, the AIP will continue to survive as an important regional third party for the foreseeable future (the result of a GOP without a real, intentional Southern Strategy and a Democrat Party committed to a leftward turn). In the 1974 midterms here, they won two Senate seats and a handful of House seats. We'll have to see if they have the capacity to survive in the long-term, however.

Maybe on the state level, but it's hard to imagine those AIP/ADP voters not defecting en masse to Reagan when the polls show a tight race in October. Reagan might even be a fusion nominee in several southern states.

 

[Thande]

(Which reminds me: did you all know that, IOTL, the UK technically no longer uses the secret ballot?)

What are you referring to here? Do you just mean postal votes, because that is just one option, and the ballot is still secret because the name information is in a separate envelope which is opened by a separate person--separately--to the envelope with the ballot paper in.

 

[Brainbin]

Mine, too. Tho I do like the TVM remix (by Dom Frontiere?) better.

Rare indeed is the remix I prefer to the original, and having listened to his version, that definitely isn't one of them.

Let me encourage you to start your list. My Top 10:

I actually had to think about it for a little while, because having to actually narrow it down is rather difficult. That said, here's my best effort at it:

Dramatic Series

• "Park Avenue Beat", or the Theme from Perry Mason (Fred Steiner): The highs and lows so perfectly capture the sleaze and the nobility of the criminal justice system.
• Theme from Peter Gunn (Henry Mancini): Perhaps the most triumphant example of a masterful theme song, complementing an utterly forgettable series (which I generally find quite rare; I've always noticed a positive correlation between the two). Perhaps the greatest composition of Mancini's incredibly distinguished career.
• Theme from Hawaii Five-O (Morton Stevens): Manages to make as famously laid-back a setting as Hawaii seem thrilling and an irresistible destination for adventure.
• Theme from Star Trek (Alexander Courage): But of course. This song perfectly captures the mystery and wonder of the universe.
• Theme from Law & Order (Mike Post): As with most Mike Post themes, it effortlessly evokes a palpable sense of time and place. And I do love the show

Situation Comedies

• Theme from Cheers (written by Gary Portnoy and Judy Hart Angelo, performed by Gary Portnoy): If anyone were to ask me which theme song most perfectly elucidated the essence of television, as a medium, I would without hesitation choose this one. And if you forced me to choose an absolute favourite, it would probably be this one too.
• Theme from Mary Tyler Moore (written and performed by Sonny Curtis): Another perfect "television in a nutshell" theme. Though (as with many sitcom themes) it owes a tremendous debt to the accompanying visuals, which contain the most iconic shot in any opening titles.
• "Those Were the Days", or the Theme from All in the Family (written by Lee Adams and Charles Strouse, performed by Carroll O'Connor and Jean Stapleton): The ultimate example of simplicity being a strength, rather than a weakness. Also the best-ever performance of a theme song by its cast.
• Theme from The Simpsons (Danny Elfman): The best instrumental theme of any sitcom. Also perfectly sets the stage for the world in which it is set, though it too has the advantage of an iconic title sequence. Whether it's Elfman's greatest composition is a tough call, but it's definitely up there.
• Theme from The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air (written by Will Smith and Quincy Jones III, performed by Will Smith): The best - and catchiest - expository theme tune ever.

Hon. Mentions: The Beverly Hillbillies, The Addams Family, Taxi, Barney Miller, Gilligan's Island, Spider-Man (the 1960s cartoon), Batman (the 1960s live-action series), Mission: Impossible, The A-Team, Perfect Strangers. But I could probably give you a Top 50 if I had to, though I really shouldn't...

I can't wait.

You won't have to wait for long! Maybe... 24 hours? If all goes well...

I assume VP Ed Muskie will get the Democratic nod, particularly given that the whole crying-in-New-Hampshire thing was a product of the Nixon plumbers' squad, which doesn't exist ITTL. Muskie won't really have any weaknesses to shore up with either his base or the general electorate, so I imagine that he'll pick the brightest up-and-coming star in the Democratic Party as his VP nominee.

Vice-President Muskie should be considered the front-runner for the Democratic nomination, yes. And he'll be a formidable candidate within his party.

Brainbin has already said that Chappaquiddick wasn't butterflied away, so that almost certainly rules out Ted Kennedy.

Yes and no. Chappaquiddick itself was butterflied, but something like it was, essentially, destined to happen, given the underlying factors involved.

So that leaves... Jerry Brown and Frank Church as the mainstream liberal candidates for Muskie's VP.

Sen. Frank Church was unseated by Robert L. Smith in the GOP wave year of 1974. I'm sorry for not mentioning that before. (McGovern was also defeated in 1974.)

I'm curious as to whether the AIP will continue on as a significant 3rd party; I don't think we got an update in '74 as to how those 11 AIP/ADP Congressmen fared. I would imagine that those voters will defect to Reagan almost entirely.

Though I'm sure you've since noticed this, the AIP/ADP has 18 seats in the House of Representatives (and three seats in the Senate) in the 94th Congress. That makes them the largest third-party caucus since the Populists in the 55th Congress (elected in 1896), who returned 22 members to the Lower House (and held five seats in the Senate).

It's interesting analysis, but I don't think Brainbin's planning to run there much, focusing more on Western and specifically US media and culture. I remember how much of a pain it was to expand from covering just the US program to international programs in Eyes, and that's honestly a lot less complex than cultural stuff. It sounds like you have a good handle on it, maybe you should work up a timeline of your own? It might make an interesting read.

e of pi says it better than I ever could. Thank you for showing your interest, Richter, along with all of you who have suggested that I focus more on anime, but it really isn't my passion, and I would be ill-served to cover it. Even British media can be enough of a stretch sometimes

True, although in '76, Reagan won't quite have the same old vibe as he does four years later. Margaret Chase Smith will be 79 (!), which almost certainly rules her out. William Scranton will be a relatively robust 59. Gerry Ford is 63. Bob Dole is 53.

Gerald Ford? Running for President? Surely you jest

What are you referring to here? Do you just mean postal votes, because that is just one option, and the ballot is still secret because the name information is in a separate envelope which is opened by a separate person--separately--to the envelope with the ballot paper in.

Well, according to Wikipedia (I know, I know), Parliament repealed the secret ballot with the Representation of the People Act 1983, due to a clerical technicality.

 

[Andrew T]

Sen. Frank Church was unseated by Robert L. Smith in the GOP wave year of 1974. I'm sorry for not mentioning that before. (McGovern was also defeated in 1974.)

Unless that's the lead singer for The Cure, I have to say I've never heard of him....

 

[vultan]

Unless that's the lead singer for The Cure, I have to say I've never heard of him....

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Robert_L._Smith

There, that's his three-sentence Wikipedia entry.

 

[phx1138]

Rare indeed is the remix I prefer to the original, and having listened to his version, that definitely isn't one of them.

Why am I not surprised we disagree? I'll wager it's because I heard the TVM version first. (Didn't see the repeats on cable til later.)

I actually had to think about it for a little while, because having to actually narrow it down is rather difficult.

I had a hunch. I could've added probably 10 more...

Dramatic Series

• "Park Avenue Beat", or the Theme from Perry Mason (Fred Steiner): The highs and lows so perfectly capture the sleaze and the nobility of the criminal justice system.
• Theme from Peter Gunn (Henry Mancini): Perhaps the most triumphant example of a masterful theme song, complementing an utterly forgettable series (which I generally find quite rare; I've always noticed a positive correlation between the two). Perhaps the greatest composition of Mancini's incredibly distinguished career.
• Theme from Hawaii Five-O (Morton Stevens): Manages to make as famously laid-back a setting as Hawaii seem thrilling and an irresistible destination for adventure.
• Theme from Star Trek (Alexander Courage): But of course. This song perfectly captures the mystery and wonder of the universe.
• Theme from Law & Order (Mike Post): As with most Mike Post themes, it effortlessly evokes a palpable sense of time and place. And I do love the show

Agree in the main. The "TOS" theme just doesn't hit my "like" as hard as the others I named. And I'm ashamed to admit I overlooked "M:I". Which would easily have bumped "Ironside". I'd also have added a mention of "The Waltons", given a Top 20. I did like "L.A. Law" a lot. I keep thinking of "Police Story", for some reason... Also, "Gabriel's Fire" sticks in my mind somehow...

Situation Comedies

• Theme from Cheers (written by Gary Portnoy and Judy Hart Angelo, performed by Gary Portnoy): If anyone were to ask me which theme song most perfectly elucidated the essence of television, as a medium, I would without hesitation choose this one. And if you forced me to choose an absolute favourite, it would probably be this one too.
• Theme from Mary Tyler Moore (written and performed by Sonny Curtis): Another perfect "television in a nutshell" theme. Though (as with many sitcom themes) it owes a tremendous debt to the accompanying visuals, which contain the most iconic shot in any opening titles.
• "Those Were the Days", or the Theme from All in the Family (written by Lee Adams and Charles Strouse, performed by Carroll O'Connor and Jean Stapleton): The ultimate example of simplicity being a strength, rather than a weakness. Also the best-ever performance of a theme song by its cast.
• Theme from The Simpsons (Danny Elfman): The best instrumental theme of any sitcom. Also perfectly sets the stage for the world in which it is set, though it too has the advantage of an iconic title sequence. Whether it's Elfman's greatest composition is a tough call, but it's definitely up there.
• Theme from The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air (written by Will Smith and Quincy Jones III, performed by Will Smith): The best - and catchiest - expository theme tune ever.

On these, except "Those Were the Days", I disagree entirely. (I'll admit never having heard "The Simpsons".) If I was naming sitcom themes, I'd be picking "Barney Miller" & maybe "WKRP". Of the themes with lyrics, "TWTD" is without doubt the best--& that's at least half due to the (deliberately) execrable performance by Jean Stapleton.

Hon. Mentions: The Beverly Hillbillies, The Addams Family, Taxi, Barney Miller, Gilligan's Island, Spider-Man (the 1960s cartoon), Batman (the 1960s live-action series), Mission: Impossible, The A-Team, Perfect Strangers.

Of those, except as already said, only "The A-Team" would even rate a mention outside the Top 10 for me.

Anybody else want to weigh in? The water's fine.

 

[NCW8]

Anybody else want to weigh in? The water's fine.

Not many British series on either list.

So, in no particular order:

• Doctor Who (of course! - Pertwee era for preference)
• Thunderbirds
• Red Dwarf closing theme.
• The Liver Birds
• Dad's Army
• It Aint Half Hot Mum
• Some Mothers Do 'Ave 'Em (for cleverness - the tune spells out the name of the show in morse code)
• Morcambe and Wise closing song ("Bring Me Sunshine")
• Z Cars
• Van der Valk

Cheers,
Nigel.